Inter-node Coordination for Modem Pipeline Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving low latency and high bandwidth while maintaining efficient power conservation and hardware footprint, particularly in managing modem processing pipelines to meet tight ACK turnaround requirements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of inter-node coordination between scheduling entities and subordinate entities for managing modem processing pipelines, utilizing coordination signaling to enhance pipeline efficiency, including payload tapering, carrier aggregation, and scaled numerology, to reduce latency and improve throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pipelining is implemented to improve hardware processing block utilization, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The modem processing pipeline is divided into multiple sequential processing stages (e.g., RF processing, baseband processing, channel estimation, equalization, decoding). Each stage operates independently on different portions of the data stream, enabling pipelining that improves hardware utilization without requiring all processing blocks to be present simultaneously, thus managing complexity while enhancing productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the processing pipeline stages and their interdependencies before actual data transmission occurs. Capability information messages are exchanged between nodes to establish the pipeline structure in advance, allowing efficient processing during operation without adding real-time complexity
2Productivity
If wide bandwidth is used to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but loss of time increases due to processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Wide bandwidth data is segmented into multiple processing stages that operate in parallel on different portions of the data stream. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high throughput through wide bandwidth while reducing the time required for processing, as multiple stages work simultaneously rather than sequentially, thereby decreasing ACK turnaround time
Solution Approach 2:
The processing pipeline dynamically adjusts its operation based on the actual data transmission requirements. The system can flexibly configure the number and capacity of processing stages based on the bandwidth and throughput needs, allowing optimization of the trade-off between processing speed and time requirements for different operational conditions
3Productivity
If coordination signaling is added to enhance pipeline efficiency, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where capability information messages are exchanged between scheduling entities and subordinate entities to coordinate pipeline operations. This feedback allows the system to optimize pipeline efficiency by adapting to different hardware capabilities and processing requirements, improving productivity while managing complexity through structured information exchange
Solution Approach 2:
The coordination signaling mechanism is designed to be universal, handling multiple functions through a single standardized interface. The capability information messages can convey various types of pipeline configuration data, processing requirements, and coordination instructions, reducing the need for multiple specialized signaling protocols and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
Various aspects of the disclosure provide for apparatus, methods, and software, for enabling inter-node coordination between scheduling entities and subordinate entities for managing a modem processing pipeline. Pipelining is a proven technique for improving the utilization of hardware processing blocks without substantially increasing chip area. Accordingly, various aspects of the present disclosure provide for efficient processing pipelining at the modem of a wireless communication device, with a general aim to reduce communication latency even in a wide bandwidth network. In various examples, modem processing pipeline efficiency may be augmented by utilizing certain coordination signaling between the sender and the receiver of downlink transmissions, to make the sender aware of the receiver and the pipelining enhancement to be undertaken at the receiver. By virtue of this coordination, the best tradeoff for pipeline efficiency may be targeted, while still meeting a generally tight ACK turnaround requirement.